“That was the worst decision I’ve seen in the history of ShoBox,” Showtime boxing commentator Steve Farhood proclaimed after lightweight Thomas Mattice came off the canvas to edge Zhora Hamazaryan by split decision Friday night in Sloan, Iowa. Farhood had Hamazaryan winning by a score of 78-73. Officially, judge Bob LaFratte (Iowa) had it 77-74 in favor of Hamazaryan, but judges Mike Contreras (Nebraska) and Jeff Sinnett (Nebraska), both scored the fight 76-75 in favor of Mattice.

Thomas Mattice: “Tonight wasn’t my best performance. I felt like I Iost the few early rounds. [Hamazaryan] landed some clean shots and he’s a crazy competitor; he wasn’t giving me anything. I think the decision was fair. I out-jabbed him and it may have looked like he was hitting me more but he wasn’t really touching me. The crowd was going crazy over him tapping my gloves. I outpointed him overall.”

Zhora Hamazaryan: “I am extremely upset. I deserve a lot more being here in the United States. I worked many years for this opportunity, and for the judges to take it from me is just terrible. I know I won. I’m always a champion. I have already talked to my team and we are going to protest this fight to the right outcome and we will give him a rematch. I knocked him down, hurt him several more times and dominated the fight. And how could they just take this from me?”